Site scanning devices, such as terrestrial laser scanning devices, have applications in sites such as quarries, railway sidings, mines or land fill locations, where they are used to monitor the effect of human activities and subsidence in those locations. For example, site scanning devices can be used to measure and monitor the stability of rock faces, landslips and man-made structures or used for ongoing, periodic measurements of volumes, stockpiles, cutbacks and waste dumps. Such devices can also perform geotechnical analysis of rock mass structure and behaviour.
Typically, such monitoring activities involve either leaving a site scanning device in-situ for an extended period, or repeatedly setting up equipment in a location, performing a measurement, and then removing the equipment. Using conventional techniques, it can be difficult and time consuming to monitor extensive environments, such as mines or other industrial sites.